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On Tuesday 23 May the Home Office launches its Tackling Drugs Changing Lives Day to encourage local Drug Action Teams to announce their successes. TransformDrug Policy Foundation suggests that local initiatives do little more than mitigate the worst effects of the Government's continued commitment to prohibition, despite mounting evidence of the catastrophic harms that it causes through the creation of illegal markets. The new Home Secretary apparently agrees. On the Jeremy Vine programme in November 2004, Dr Reid (as Health Secretary) announced to Radio 2 listeners : “Prohibition doesn't work, as the US found out many years ago.” ​

Transform Director, Danny Kushlick said: “This is a propaganda push from a Government that has lost support for its failing drug strategy and is desperate to convince the press and public that its policies are working. “The Prime Minister's own Strategy Unit Drugs Report shows that enforcing the drug laws, with regard to production and trafficking, creates most of the crime problems they are trying to reduce. It is the price hike that accompanies the prohibition of any demand-led commodity trade that attracts organised crime and forces addicts to offend to support their habits. ‘The Home Secretary said as much when he let slip the fact that' prohibition doesn't work' in response to a question from a radio 2 listener about banning tobacco. Prohibition should no more be an option to control drugs than it should be for tobacco and alcohol“The fact is that most urban communities are blighted by the Government's failure to grapple with the underlying problems that lead people to misuse drugs, combined with the fact that, by prohibiting drugs, it has gifted control of the entire market to violent criminals and unregulated dealers. “As the Government's drugs web site makes abundantly clear, This day is an exercise to ‘reclaim the agenda'. Specifically to reclaim it from those, like Transform, who believe that the policy of prohibition is causing many of the problems that the drug strategy seeks to solve. “Rather than waste valuable effort resources on a pointless propaganda campaign, we look forward to a time when the Government genuinely debates alternatives to the current failings of prohibition, including the possibility of legal control and regulation of currently uncontrolled drugs.”

It was so well publicised that I missed it altogether! I wonder if Swim did too?

He wouldn't have been able to join in the mass-tackling that was going chez Jatelka, Mouse, Shroom, etc as he told me his supply was completely depleted. However, he told me he plans a major re-stocking later this week.

National Drug Worker and National Drug Team of the Year 2006 announced by Drugs Minister Vernon Coaker at ceremony in Westminster
The Home Office has today announced the names of the two overall winners of the Tackling Drugs Changing Lives Awards 2006. The Drug Worker and Drug Team of the Year were picked from over 300 entries from across England and Wales. Both winners have received £10,000 for their organisation.
David Gordon, harm reduction coordinator at the Swaythling Clinic in Southampton has been named as National Drug Worker of the Year 2006 for his work managing the local needle exchange and for his tireless efforts to provide support for service users.
Cyswllt Ceredigion Contact, the Aberystwyth Day Service providing vital help, advice and support for drug misusers and their families, has won the title of National Drug Team of the Year 2006.
Home Office Drugs Minister Vernon Coaker said:
"These awards were set up to recognise those who are taking direct positive action to tackle drug issues in their local community. We have seen some sterling examples of innovative projects that are making a real difference to people's lives. Both winners show a standard of commitment and dedication that consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty to support both individuals and their communities. Tackling drugs is one this Government's top priorities and whilst we are making progress, we must do more. Drug-related crime was down 12% in the year to April 2005, but we need to bring this down further. Numbers entering treatment are up by 89% since 1998 but we need to get to more drug misusers into treatment. Working with the inspiration people I have met today, I am determined to create safer, stronger communities free from the menace of drug misuse".
Martin Barnes, Chief Executive of DrugScope and one of the awards judges, said:
"We had an incredibly high standard of entry for the awards. David stood out because of his clear dedication to helping those he works with and the real impact he's having on the local community.
"The team, headed by Maureen Fyffe, is not only an outstanding example of a service providing vital support to those affected by drugs, but also illustrates the importance of drug services working alongside other support services such as the NHS, Citizen's Advice Bureaux and housing agencies to provide the best possible service for drug misusers."
The two national winners were chosen from among 20 regional finalists - a regional team and individual winner in each of the English regions and Wales.
The regional winners, also recognised at today's awards ceremony, are:

Other drugs events happening on National Tackling Drugs Day are: Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden and Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan will be in London to raise funds to prevent young people from misusing drugs and to promote effective prevention work worldwide. Queen Silvia will be hosting a royal gala to be held at the National History Museum in London on the evening of 23 May. It has been organised by drugs prevention charity Mentor UK.
Finally, FRANK, the drugs helpline, will celebrate its third birthday.